Tom Novak, was selected as one of its three Civil Servants of the Year for 2019 for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District. Novak was nominated for the “Leadership” award for his commitment to mentor, train and inspire the employees around him. Under his leadership, nearly 30 environmental restoration projects across Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa were completed. Many of these projects involved working with a diverse stakeholder group across multiple states that resulted in the enhancement of the Mississippi River — a nationally significant environmental resource.